Sunday, August 1, 2010

Cool Down

I love to take pictures of field canopies. It is a whole different environment down in our fields. My goal of having my soil covered by summer solstice June 21 really paid off this summer as it was so much cooler down there than on top of the leaves. Still, it got quite hot on the soil surface across the midwest with these near record temperatures we had this summer.

Lots of things need cooling down right now. It is so pleasant this morning here it is a real breath of fresh air. We need that breath in our lives, in our country and in our relationships in some cases. There is nothing like a cool down to get a new perspective on things.

It takes heat to make things happen, especially in a crop field but it is nice when its over and you get a cooling down time like we have today. It is the first of August already and my younger son is thirty years old tomorrow. Where did 30 years ago? Some days it just drug on but overall it was the blink of an eye.

Such is life. Some farmers will be at Farmfest 2010 in Minnesota this week while others will be looking at David Hula's and other operations down in hot, dry Virginia. Others of us will be doing the daily routine or vacationing or whatever. No matter what you are doing, today's cool down will be a nice break for us.

We have decided to plant wheat again this fall with the recent rally as local millers are bidding in the seven dollar range for wheat for their needs next summer. That throws a pleasant kink in our fall plans but it will keep our fragile soil covered and give us opportunity to address lime, drainage, weeds and a host of problems on some of our farms.

Every day brings something new and this one is no different in that aspect. We are looking forward to seeing family and friends this week and making some new friends.